Dr. Shui-Yu Lu is a Staff Scientist in the PET Radiopharmaceutical Sciences Section, Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health. He received his BSc (Organic Chemistry, 1983) from Nanjing University, China and PhD (Synthetic Organic Polymer Chemistry, 1991) from the University of Manchester, England. He spent two-years at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland as a postdoctoral fellow. Dr. Lu’s early research focused on the formation and transformation of macromolecules. He became a Research Fellow at the Department of Chemistry, University of Surrey, England (1994-2002) where he was at the forefront to develop novel methodologies for the preparation and application of isotopically labeled compounds, both stable and radioactive. Notably he was leading the efforts to develop microwave-enhanced dueteriation/tritiation procedures, where microwave dielectric heating that transforms electromagnetic energy to heat provides direct access by the energy source to the chemical reaction media, for rapid, highly atom-efficient radiolabeling. He developed a microwave-enhanced detritiation procedure that is 10 times more efficient for treating carbon-based radioactive waste and invented a sol-gel based scintillator that does away with large volume of liquid radioactive waste. These work represent some best examples of the application of green chemistry concept to radiochemistry where through the environmentally conscious design of chemical products and processes the generation of chemical and/or radioactive waste is minimized.

       Dr. Lu joined NIMH in June 2002. His research is centered on the development of rapid, reliable and safe PET radiolabeling methodologies through the application of new reagents and innovative technologies. He is also engaged in targeted radioligand development. His current research interests include (1) radiolabeling with fluorine-18 under microwave conditions; (2) radiolabeling of amides with carbon-11 under microwave conditions; (3) radiolabeling with polymer-supported reagents under microwave conditions; (4) the application of micro reactor technology to PET radiosynthesis and (5) the synthesis and evaluation of agonist 5-HT_1A receptor radioligands.